1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a justification system and, more particularly, to a vertical justification device for vertically aligning skewed product or misaligned product for subsequent processing.
2. Background Description
The sorting of mail is a very complex, time consuming task. In general, the sorting of mail is processed though many stages, including back end processes, which sort or sequence the mail in delivery order sequence. These processes can either be manual or automated, depending on the mail sorting facility, the type of mail to be sorted such as packages, flats, letter and the like. A host of other factors may also contribute to the automation of the mail sorting, from budgetary concerns to modernization initiatives to access to appropriate technologies to a host of other factors.
In general, however, most modem facilities have taken major steps toward automation by the implementation of a number of technologies. These technologies include, amongst others, feeding devices, letter sorters, parcel sorters, advanced tray conveyors, flat sorters, optical recognition systems, singulators and the like. As a result of these developments, postal facilities have become quite automated over the years, considerably reducing overhead costs.
But, in implementation, certain automations may require additional attention in order to efficiently process the mail pieces (product). For example, currently, it is known to induct letters, flats and products, in general, into a sorting system using feeders. To accomplish this induction, the products are first vertically stacked near a conveying system. The product are then fed into the conveying system, at which time indicia such as, for example, delivery destination information, is printed (e.g., sprayed) on a surface of the product. This information may be in the form of bar coding or the like. The delivery destination information is then read by one or more scanners, for example, to then be reconciled by a controller for future sorting, sequencing or other processing of the product, e.g., sequencing the product into walk order sequence.
Prior to spraying or printing the delivery information on the product, the product must be vertically justified with respect to an edge of the product. This will ensure that the indicia will be properly aligned on the product. If, however, the indicia are not properly aligned on the product, e.g., partially sprayed on the product, misaligned on the product, etc., the reading device will not be able to read such information and, in turn, the system will not be able to reconcile such information for sequencing or further processing. In these situations, the product will be ejected into a reject bin for manual sort, which decreases, considerably, the efficiency of the sorting and sequencing system.
Currently, to align a skewed product or “drive” the product onto the transport deck of the system, a traditional leveler is provided with the feeder. The traditional leveler is a front end system which includes opposing, vertically aligned belts, usually in length of two or three feet depending on the induction speed of the system. The belts are separated from one another in order to allow skewed or other incorrectly fed product to be inducted therebetween. In this manner, for example, as the skewed product passes through the opposing, vertically aligned belts, the product will settle, e.g., fall, due to gravity. By the time the product exists the system, the product should be vertically aligned on a transport deck or ledge of the system, on one edge.
However, there are disadvantages to these traditional leveler systems. For example, the opposing, vertically aligned belts are of a considerable length in order to allow gravity to align the product. This is especially true in cases of increased feeder throughput, where the induction speed of the product is increased. Basically, in these situations, the opposing, vertically aligned belts must be lengthened in order to allow the product to settle due to gravity. This is simply because the induction speed of the product has increased which, in turn, requires additional processing time for the product to settle. This, of course, increases the footprint of the system, even more, thus requiring additional warehouse or processing floor space.
Additionally, traditional levelers have difficulty justifying or registering lighter product. For example, the lighter product have a tendency to float between the opposing belts. Because of this floating phenomenon, regardless of the length of the leveler, some product will never become justified onto the transport deck. Also, these lighter product also have a tendency to “cling” to one of the belts, in which case the product again is not properly registered. In any of these situations, the processing of the product will be affected, which will affect the overall processing throughput of the system.
The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.